Regional Events: Blues Downtown; Musical Revue; Ballet Workshops; Air National Guard Band

By The Continuous News Desk

Published: June 19, 2008

Wolfhart Theater to Stage ‘Smokey Joe’s Cafe’ Musical

WYTHEVILLE, Va. – The Broadway musical revue “Smokey Joe’s Café” returns to the Wohlfahrt Haus stage in Wytheville. Songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller’s hits of the 1950s and ’60s are featured from June 19 through Aug. 31.

Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. and with 3 p.m. Sunday matinees. Dinner is served two hours prior to the performance. The music pays tribute to rhythm and blues and rock ‘n’ roll. The duo were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
More than 30 songs will be showcased, including “On Broadway,” “Hound Dog,” “Love Potion #9” and “Jailhouse Rock,” which inspired and established the careers of Elvis Presley, The Coasters, The Drifters, Peggy Lee and Ben E. King.

This cast includes: Nathan Alston, George Bailey, Tara Newinski, Heather Camper, Justin Jewell, Faith Boles, Heather Felder, Christian Bradford and Doront’e Evans.

“Smokey Joe’s Café” is directed by George Bailey and Jessica DeHart.  Musical director is Clifton Cuddington; choreographers are Shane Terry and Morgan Rudolph; set designers are Jason Beam and Chris DeHart; costumes are by Shane Terry and Bailey.

To book reservations, call (276) 223-0891 or (999) 950-3382.

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Lightnin’ Charlie to Perform June 20 at Tunes at Noon

BRISTOL, Va. – Lightnin’Charlie is performing June 20 during the 2008 David Caldwell Tunes at Noon Summer Concert Series at the Paramount Center for the Arts in downtown Bristol.

He plays a mix of gospel, blues, country and rock ’n roll. His latest CD, “A New Leaf,” features electric and acoustic ensembles. Lightnin’ Charlie has also become a published author.  “Off The Record … The Trails and Tribulations of a Travelin’ Troubadour” is a collection of funny stories and anecdotes from his experiences as a touring musician, reformed saloon singer and is his testimony as a born again Christian.

Thes music series takes place each Friday at noon through Aug. 8, with the exception of July 4th. A $5 suggested donation is requested as admission. The Paramount will be collecting canned goods throughout the series for food banks.

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Wytheville College’s June Jamboree Cancelled

WYTHEVILLE, Va.– Wytheville Community College’s June Bluegrass and Old-Time Jamboree, which is normally held on the third Saturday of each month at the George Wythe High School Auditorium, has been cancelled.

The date conflicts with the Lorrie Morgan concert scheduled for the first evening of the Wythe Arts Council’s Annual Chautauqua Festival on June 21.

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Street Performers to Offer Tunes and Tales Down in Gatlinburg

GATLINBURG, Tenn.– Gatlinburg is holding its 3rd annual Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales through Aug. 9.

The street performance event features musical performers, storytellers and artisans portraying time periods as far back as 1800. A collection of personalities and performers arrive nightly at 5 p.m. via horse-drawn wagon in the center of town.

Visitors witness a transformation of sidewalk to stage as the characters disperse along the downtown Parkway for an evening of entertainment and storytelling until 11 p.m. As many as 14 nightly acts perform. All performances are free and happen along the Parkway.

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Free Music Lessons Offered to Dickenson Students

CLINTWOOD, Va. – The Ralph Stanley Museum & Traditional Mountain Music Center will offer free music lessons to Dickenson County students ages 10-18 as part of its annual “Passing the Pick and Bow” program. Classes are from July 7 to Aug. 8.

Lessons will be available in Clintwood and Clinchco and include clawhammer-style banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, dulcimer and singing for beginning and intermediate musicians. Applications are available at the museum and center.  The “Passing the Pick and Bow” program is able to offer these music classes free of charge for students, thanks to the support of the Columbus Phipps Foundation. Adults are also invited to participate. To cover costs, adults will be charged a fee of $5 per lesson.

The program in Dickenson County began in 2006 as a collaborative project between the Ralph Stanley Museum & Traditional Mountain Music Center and Appalshop of Whitesburg, Ky. For information, call (276) 926-8550 or e-mail .

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Air National Guard Band in Free Concert at Lincoln Theatre

MARION, Va. – A performance by The Air National Guard Band of the Smoky Mountains will be presented at The Lincoln Theatre in Marion on June 25 at 7 p.m. This performance is free.

The Air National Guard Band of the Smoky Mountains is located near Knoxville, Tenn. The band is the official musical ambassador for the Tennessee Air National Guard.

Concerts typically include traditional band pieces, military marches, patriotic selections, rock, jazz and country-and-western selections.
To reserve your free tickets, call (276) 783-6092 or get one at the box office.

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New York Choreographer Comes Home to Conduct City Youth Ballet Workshop

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Theater dance, jazz and tap will be focus of a workshop June 27-28 led by New York actor and choreographer Michael Blevins as part of the City Youth Ballet’s (CYB) Summer Dance 2008.

A theater dance class will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. June 27. On June 28, a jazz and tap class will be held from 7:30-9:30 p.m. The classes will be held in the CYB’s studios, 2203 McKinley Road in Burlington Park South mall off West Walnut Street in Johnson City.

The classes are open to anyone age 10 and up with all tuition supporting the City Youth Ballet, a non-profit organization. Call (423) 434-2195 for more information and visit the CYB at http://www.cityyouthballet.org.

Blevins, who grew up in Johnson City, directed earlier this year the musical, “Hang Ten” and staged the production at the Johnson City Community Theater.
He has appeared in Broadway productions including, “Bring Back Birdie,” Neil Simon’s “Little Me,” and the Tony winning “Tap Dance Kid” in which he created the role of “Winslow.”

Blevins is most widely known for his portrayal of Mark in the movie “A Chorus Line.”

Blevins is also a director and choreographer having choreographed the off-Broadway production of “The Mad Forest.” He is currently artistic director for the Centenary Young Performers Workshop and artistic director for Group Theatre Too of New York.

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Summer Ballet Workshop to be Conducted by Houston Ballet Company Member

GREENEVILLE, Tenn.– Central Ballet Theatre (CBT) of Greeneville will host a summer ballet workshop with guest instructor Richard d’Alton of the International Ballet of Houston.

Classes will take place June 23-27 at the CBT studio, 120 W. Summer St., Greeneville. 

Born in Cork, Ireland, d’Alton received his initial dance training with his mother, Jill d’Alton at South Texas Dance and Gymnastics.

After three consecutive summer sessions, under full scholarship at Houston Ballet Academy, he moved permanently to Houston to study in the academy. 
In 1997, d’Alton joined the Escuela Nacional de Ballet de Cuba, where he later received his diploma in dance and a teacher’s diploma in the Cuban Syllabus.
In 1999, d’Alton received a special invitation from Prima Ballerina Assoluta Alicia Alonso to join the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. A subsequent invitation from dancer and director Fernando Bujones led d’Alton to join the Orlando Ballet where he danced as principal artist.

Central Ballet Theatre of Greeneville is part of Tusculum College’s Acts, Arts, Academia lineup. For more information, call Lori Ann Sparks, ballet mistress of CBT, at (423) 620-2036.